From 6:00 am till 5:00 pm yesterday, 23 December 2014, I was taking part in the annual Audubon Christmas Bird Count for the Horseshoe Canyon/Drumheller area. The group of friends I was with, travelling in three cars, covered the NE quadrant of the Count circle plus an extra bit of land S of Highway 9. There were 10 of us in total, including the 3 people from Drumheller.
At lunch time, we were all treated to home made hot beef and barley soup and tea/coffee at the home of Jim McCabe, who lives in Drumheller and joined us for the Count, along with two others. Jim works at the Royal Tyrrell Museum of Palaeontology and is the senior preparation technician and lab supervisor there. "The Royal Tyrrell Museum is a Canadian tourist attraction and a centre of palaeontological research noted for its collection of more than 130,000 fossils." (Wikipedia), Located in the Badlands of Alberta, it is known for it's amazing dinosaur finds.
I will add the final report of our group's leader (Gus Yaki) below. As far as Snowy Owls are concerned, the driver of the vehicle in which I spent the whole day (another Anne!) and I saw a total of 8 Snowy Owls, including owls seen on the drive to and from the Count area. That makes 18-20 Snowy Owls that I have been lucky enough to see within the last 4 days (10-12 of them seen when my daughter and I searched E and NE of Calgary on 20 December)! Thanks so much for picking me up and driving the whole day, Anne! I appreciated it so much!
"HORSESHOE Canyon/Drumheller CBC, N side of Red Deer River, 0830-1315; 23Dec2014. Sunny, becoming overcast, calm, -8 to -3 to -10°C.
Ring-necked Pheasant-1 m. (at Murrays).
Eurasian Collared Dove-2+
Snowy Owl-1 juv.
Downy Woodpecker-5
Hairy Woodpecker-2
Northern Flicker-1+
Blue Jay-4
Black-billed Magpie-9
Common Raven-4
Black-capped Chickadee-20
Red-breasted Nuthatch-1
White-breasted Nuthatch-2
House Sparrow-75.
Mammals:
Coyote-2,
Eastern Gray Squirrel-black morph-2
Meadow Vole-1
Snowshoe Hare-1
Mule Deer-1.
Feeder Birds at Jim McCabe’s Place, Nacmine, not on our territory. 1315-1400, 23Dec2014.
Eurasian Collared-Dove-1
Downy Woodpecker-2
Black-billed Magpie-1
Black-capped Chickadee-5
Red-breasted Nuthatch-1
White-breasted Nuthatch-1
Also noted 9 Mule Deer on the Nacmine slope from our territory on the N. side of the Red Deer River.
Birds on East Side of Count Circle, Terr #4. 1400-1530, 23Dec2014.
Snowy Owl-1 ad m just N of #9, on RR 20.4, just after Jim McC. left us. May have seen it in the morning as well.
Black-billed Magpie-12
Common Raven-8
Unidentified small passerine, possible Horned Lark-1, seen flying away.
Mammals:
Coyote-4
Two people reported Gray Jay-1. Because this is unlikely in the prairie, they have filed a Rare Bird Documentation Form.
Gus Yaki"
Tags: Alberta Canada NE of Calgary Drumheller area Christmas Bird Count 2014 seasons winter snow landscape scenery rural rural scene prairies fields clouds barn shed granary old wooden windmill heavily overcast
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From 6:00 am till 5:00 pm on 23 December 2014, I was taking part in the annual Audubon Christmas Bird Count for the Horseshoe Canyon/Drumheller area. The group of friends I was with, travelling in three cars, covered the NE quadrant of the Count circle plus an extra bit of land S of Highway 9. There were 10 of us in total, including three people from Drumheller. Part of our area included a walk along the edge of the Red Deer River. I'd forgotten that we would be doing this walk - too far for me, so I had to turn back just before the far end. I had time to walk back slowly and take a few photos, including these frosted Rose Hips. They always add such a welcome splash of colour in winter. We also saw a Snowshoe Hare in its winter white coat along this path, hiding amongst the tangle of shrubs and plants.
At lunch time, we were all treated to home made hot beef and barley soup and tea/coffee at the home of Jim McCabe, who lives in Drumheller and joined us for the Count, along with two others. Jim works at the Royal Tyrrell Museum of Palaeontology and is the senior preparation technician and lab supervisor there.
"The Royal Tyrrell Museum is a Canadian tourist attraction and a centre of palaeontological research noted for its collection of more than 130,000 fossils." (Wikipedia), Located in the Badlands of Alberta, it is known for it's amazing dinosaur finds.
I will add the final report of our group's leader (Gus Yaki) below. As far as Snowy Owls are concerned, the driver of the vehicle in which I spent the whole day (another Anne!) and I saw a total of 8 Snowy Owls, including owls seen on the drive to and from the Count area. That makes 18-20 Snowy Owls that I have been lucky enough to see within the last 4 days (10-12 of them seen when my daughter and I searched E and NE of Calgary on 20 December)! Thanks so much for picking me up and driving the whole day, Anne! I appreciated it so much!
Gus Yaki's report:
"HORSESHOE Canyon/Drumheller CBC, N side of Red Deer River, 0830-1315; 23Dec2014. Sunny, becoming overcast, calm, -8 to -3 to -10°C.
Ring-necked Pheasant-1 m. (at Murrays).
Eurasian Collared Dove-2+
Snowy Owl-1 juv.
Downy Woodpecker-5
Hairy Woodpecker-2
Northern Flicker-1+
Blue Jay-4
Black-billed Magpie-9
Common Raven-4
Black-capped Chickadee-20
Red-breasted Nuthatch-1
White-breasted Nuthatch-2
House Sparrow-75.
Mammals:
Coyote-2,
Eastern Gray Squirrel-black morph-2
Meadow Vole-1
Snowshoe Hare-1
Mule Deer-1.
Feeder Birds at Jim McCabe’s Place, Nacmine, not on our territory. 1315-1400, 23Dec2014.
Eurasian Collared-Dove-1
Downy Woodpecker-2
Black-billed Magpie-1
Black-capped Chickadee-5
Red-breasted Nuthatch-1
White-breasted Nuthatch-1
Also noted 9 Mule Deer on the Nacmine slope from our territory on the N. side of the Red Deer River.
Birds on East Side of Count Circle, Terr #4. 1400-1530, 23Dec2014.
Snowy Owl-1 ad m just N of #9, on RR 20.4, just after Jim McC. left us. May have seen it in the morning as well.
Black-billed Magpie-12
Common Raven-8
Unidentified small passerine, possible Horned Lark-1, seen flying away.
Mammals:
Coyote-4
Two people reported Gray Jay-1. Because this is unlikely in the prairie, they have filed a Rare Bird Documentation Form.
Gus Yaki"
Tags: Alberta Canada NE of Calgary Drumheller area Christmas Bird Count 2014 seasons winter nature plant Rose berries hips Rose Hips red frosted macro close-up bokeh
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This photo was taken on 23 December 2014, when a few of us were taking part in the annual Audubon Christmas Bird Count for the Drumheller area. My small group covered the NE and E quadrants of the established 15-mile wide diameter circle. Part of our area included a walk along the edge of the Red Deer River. I'd forgotten that we would be doing this walk - too far for me, so I had to turn back just before the far end. This is when I noticed these Wild Licorice seedpods at the edge of the path. They always fascinate me and they add a splash of colour in winter. We also saw a Snowshoe Hare in its winter white coat along this path, hiding amongst the tangle of shrubs and plants.
"Glycyrrhiza lepidota (American Licorice) is a species of Glycyrrhiza (a genus in the pea/bean family, Fabaceae) native to most of North America, from central Canada south through the United States to California, Texas and Virginia, but absent from the southeastern states. It is also sometimes known in the United States as "wild licorice", to distinguish it from the related European Liquorice (Glycyrrhiza glabra) which is occasionally cultivated.
The plant grows in moist soils; although it will grow in heavy soil it prefers sandy soil. It grows to 40–100 cm (16–40 in) tall, and has long tough brown roots which are said to be sweet and were used as food and for medicinal purposes by Native Americans.
American Licorice is not sweet from sugar but from glycyrrhizin. Glycyrrhizin may increase blood pressure (aka hypertension) by interfering with cortisol conversion. The Zuni people chew the root to keep the mouth sweet and moist.
American Licorice is grazed by cattle, but not preferred and will increase under grazing as competing plants are grazed off. It has light green to white flowers in the spring which ripen in the fall to clusters of burs which contain pods of small bean like seeds.
It can be used as a pioneer species to revegetate bare or disturbed ground and is often the first species to invade a receding alkali flat.
There is a market for American Licorice root both for medicinal uses and flavoring; also the sweetening of tobacco products." From Wikipedia.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glycyrrhiza_lepidota
Tags: Alberta Canada NE of Calgary Drumheller area Christmas Bird Count 2014 seasons winter nature plant seedpods Wild Licorice Glycyrrhiza lepidota Family: Fabaceae Genus: Glycyrrhiza macro close-up bokeh
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From 6:00 am till 5:00 pm on 23 December 2014, I was taking part in the annual Audubon Christmas Bird Count for the Horseshoe Canyon/Drumheller area. The group of friends I was with, travelling in three cars, covered the NE quadrant of the Count circle plus an extra bit of land S of Highway 9. There were 10 of us in total, including 3 people from Drumheller. Part of our area included a walk along the edge of the Red Deer River. I'd forgotten that we would be doing this walk - too far for me, so I had to turn back just before the far end. I had time to walk back slowly and take a few photos. As you can see, some parts of the Count had no, or very little, snow, while others had a thin covering. Loved this old, weathered barn with its very fancy cupola - thanks for stopping to let me take a photo, Anne!
At lunch time, we were all treated to home made hot beef and barley soup and tea/coffee at the home of Jim McCabe, who lives in Drumheller and joined us for the Count, along with the two others. Jim works at the Royal Tyrrell Museum of Palaeontology and is the senior preparation technician and lab supervisor there. "The Royal Tyrrell Museum is a Canadian tourist attraction and a centre of palaeontological research noted for its collection of more than 130,000 fossils." (Wikipedia), Located in the Badlands of Alberta, it is known for it's amazing dinosaur finds.
I will add the final report of our group's leader (Gus Yaki) below. As far as Snowy Owls are concerned, the driver of the vehicle in which I spent the whole day (another Anne!) and I saw a total of 8 Snowy Owls, including owls seen on the drive to and from the Count area. That makes 18-20 Snowy Owls that I had been lucky enough to see within 4 days (10-12 of them seen when my daughter and I searched E and NE of Calgary on 20 December)! Thanks so much for picking me up and driving the whole day, Anne! I appreciated it so much!
"HORSESHOE Canyon/Drumheller CBC, N side of Red Deer River, 0830-1315; 23Dec2014. Sunny, becoming overcast, calm, -8 to -3 to -10°C.
Ring-necked Pheasant-1 m. (at Murrays).
Eurasian Collared Dove-2+
Snowy Owl-1 juv.
Downy Woodpecker-5
Hairy Woodpecker-2
Northern Flicker-1+
Blue Jay-4
Black-billed Magpie-9
Common Raven-4
Black-capped Chickadee-20
Red-breasted Nuthatch-1
White-breasted Nuthatch-2
House Sparrow-75.
Mammals:
Coyote-2,
Eastern Gray Squirrel-black morph-2
Meadow Vole-1
Snowshoe Hare-1
Mule Deer-1.
Feeder Birds at Jim McCabe’s Place, Nacmine, not on our territory. 1315-1400, 23Dec2014.
Eurasian Collared-Dove-1
Downy Woodpecker-2
Black-billed Magpie-1
Black-capped Chickadee-5
Red-breasted Nuthatch-1
White-breasted Nuthatch-1
Also noted 9 Mule Deer on the Nacmine slope from our territory on the N. side of the Red Deer River.
Birds on East Side of Count Circle, Terr #4. 1400-1530, 23Dec2014.
Snowy Owl-1 ad m just N of #9, on RR 20.4, just after Jim McC. left us. May have seen it in the morning as well.
Black-billed Magpie-12
Common Raven-8
Unidentified small passerine, possible Horned Lark-1, seen flying away.
Mammals:
Coyote-4
Two people reported Gray Jay-1. Because this is unlikely in the prairie, they have filed a Rare Bird Documentation Form.
Gus Yaki"
Tags: Alberta Canada NE of Calgary Drumheller area Christmas Bird Count 2014 seasons winter snow rural rural scene farm barn old wooden weathered cupola fence trees
© All Rights Reserved
From 6:00 am till 5:00 pm on 23 December 2014, I was taking part in the annual Audubon Christmas Bird Count for the Horseshoe Canyon/Drumheller area. The group of friends I was with, travelling in three cars, covered the NE quadrant of the Count circle plus an extra bit of land S of Highway 9. There were 10 of us in total, including 3 people from Drumheller. Part of our area included a walk along the edge of the Red Deer River. I'd forgotten that we would be doing this walk - too far for me, so I had to turn back just before the far end. I had time to walk back slowly and take a few photos, including of the typical Badland layers and erosion of the hills in the area, seen in this photo. As you can see, some parts of the Count had no, or very little, snow.
At lunch time, we were all treated to home made hot beef and barley soup and tea/coffee at the home of Jim McCabe, who lives in Drumheller and joined us for the Count, along with the two others. Jim works at the Royal Tyrrell Museum of Palaeontology and is the senior preparation technician and lab supervisor there. "The Royal Tyrrell Museum is a Canadian tourist attraction and a centre of palaeontological research noted for its collection of more than 130,000 fossils." (Wikipedia), Located in the Badlands of Alberta, it is known for it's amazing dinosaur finds.
I will add the final report of our group's leader (Gus Yaki) below. As far as Snowy Owls are concerned, the driver of the vehicle in which I spent the whole day (another Anne!) and I saw a total of 8 Snowy Owls, including owls seen on the drive to and from the Count area. That makes 18-20 Snowy Owls that I had been lucky enough to see within 4 days (10-12 of them seen when my daughter and I searched E and NE of Calgary on 20 December)! Thanks so much for picking me up and driving the whole day, Anne! I appreciated it so much!
"HORSESHOE Canyon/Drumheller CBC, N side of Red Deer River, 0830-1315; 23Dec2014. Sunny, becoming overcast, calm, -8 to -3 to -10°C.
Ring-necked Pheasant-1 m. (at Murrays).
Eurasian Collared Dove-2+
Snowy Owl-1 juv.
Downy Woodpecker-5
Hairy Woodpecker-2
Northern Flicker-1+
Blue Jay-4
Black-billed Magpie-9
Common Raven-4
Black-capped Chickadee-20
Red-breasted Nuthatch-1
White-breasted Nuthatch-2
House Sparrow-75.
Mammals:
Coyote-2,
Eastern Gray Squirrel-black morph-2
Meadow Vole-1
Snowshoe Hare-1
Mule Deer-1.
Feeder Birds at Jim McCabe’s Place, Nacmine, not on our territory. 1315-1400, 23Dec2014.
Eurasian Collared-Dove-1
Downy Woodpecker-2
Black-billed Magpie-1
Black-capped Chickadee-5
Red-breasted Nuthatch-1
White-breasted Nuthatch-1
Also noted 9 Mule Deer on the Nacmine slope from our territory on the N. side of the Red Deer River.
Birds on East Side of Count Circle, Terr #4. 1400-1530, 23Dec2014.
Snowy Owl-1 ad m just N of #9, on RR 20.4, just after Jim McC. left us. May have seen it in the morning as well.
Black-billed Magpie-12
Common Raven-8
Unidentified small passerine, possible Horned Lark-1, seen flying away.
Mammals:
Coyote-4
Two people reported Gray Jay-1. Because this is unlikely in the prairie, they have filed a Rare Bird Documentation Form.
Gus Yaki"
Tags: Alberta Canada NE of Calgary Drumheller area Christmas Bird Count 2014 nature scenery landscape Badlands near the river hills rock formations rock erosion geology layers Land of the Dinosaurs winter
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